Find out how popular the last name Thuo is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Thuo.

Thuo, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Thuo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Thuo in America

Thuo is the 107134th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Thuo surname appeared 166 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Thuo.

The history of the last name Thuo

The surname THUO originates from Kenya, East Africa, and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is a name that was initially borne by a sub-group of the Kikuyu tribe who inhabited the fertile central highlands of what is now modern-day Kenya.

THUO is believed to be derived from the Kikuyu word "Muthuo," which translates to "the one who digs" or "the digger." This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals or families whose primary occupation involved digging or tilling the land for agricultural purposes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the THUO surname appears in a collection of oral histories and genealogies compiled by Kikuyu elders in the late 19th century. These accounts mention a prominent clan leader named Mugo wa Thuo, who lived in the Kiambu region during the early 1700s.

In the 20th century, the THUO name gained wider recognition through the achievements of several notable individuals. One such person was Jomo Kenyatta (1894-1978), the first Prime Minister and President of independent Kenya. Although his birth name was Kamau wa Ngengi, he later adopted the name Kenyatta, which means "the one who has traveled."

Another influential figure was Wangari Maathai (1940-2011), a Kenyan environmental activist and the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. She was born into the THUO family and is renowned for her work in promoting sustainable development and environmental conservation.

Other historical figures bearing the THUO surname include Mbiyu Koinange (1907-1981), a prominent Kenyan politician and businessman who played a significant role in the country's struggle for independence, and Ngugi wa Thiong'o (born 1938), a renowned Kenyan writer and academic who has been a vocal advocate for the preservation of African languages and cultures.

While the THUO name has its roots in the Kikuyu tribe of Kenya, it has since spread to other parts of the country and beyond, carried by individuals and families who have migrated or settled in different regions over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Thuo

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Thuo.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Thuo was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Thuo was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Thuo, please contact us.

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